32 Bit vs 64 Bit

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AlbertP
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Re: 32 Bit vs 64 Bit

Post by AlbertP »

As I said before you have to install the PAE kernel to use >4GB of RAM by default on 32-bit systems. On 64-bit systems it's working out-of-the-box.
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linuxviolin
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Re: 32 Bit vs 64 Bit

Post by linuxviolin »

ilovelinux wrote:My laptop has only 3GB RAM, and I run 64bit Mint 10 on it and 64bit OS works much better than any 32bit OS I've used on it.
AlbertP wrote:Same goes for me on 2GB, 3GB and 4GB laptops. 64-bit just runs snappier without too much downsides.
Well, good for you, although I'm not sure, but not for me, at least on one of my desktops with 2 GB RAM. Oh and why not also with 1 GB RAM? lol :mrgreen:

On this 2 GB RAM desktop I tried a 64 bit Linux version but the things were not so "smooth" and fast as expected, even sometimes it was almost the contrary. Then I have installed the 32 bit version and now this desktop flies and is fast. The people who use it are more happy now. :D

64 bit is not necessary for everything and even sometimes can be slower than 32 bit. So, use 64 bit if you have *really* need of it. Install 64 bit just because you can but not need can be err... :roll: :mrgreen:
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Aethyr

Re: 32 Bit vs 64 Bit

Post by Aethyr »

linuxviolin wrote:
ilovelinux wrote:So, use 64 bit if you have *really* need of it. Install 64 bit just because you can but not need can be err... :roll: :mrgreen:
Not strictly true. If you can run 64 bit, there's no harm in giving it a go, even if you don't really "need" it. I have a Pentium D desktop, the CPU is capable of running a 64 bit OS but I didn't know that for a long time, I used to run 32 bit OSs on it. LMDE 64 bit has been literally flying though, it's much much better, smoother and more stable than 32 bit Linux ever was - it beats my previous Ubuntu, Mint, LMDE and Arch installations by miles. While I don't strictly need to run 64 bit on it, it manages the extended 3 GB RAM much better with a 64 bit OS and CPU usage is so much lower that it's not even funny, since the 32 bit kernel never managed the 2 CPUs properly, instead overloading one of them all the time and never using the other (even though it detected both).

On the other hand, I get the feeling that a newer Core 2 machine might need a downgrade to 32 bit instead, which I'll try over the Christmas holiday. It really depends on the hardware, you never really know until you try IMO. I suppose if you're really hardware-savvy you might be able to tell just from the specs but... trial and error is the best way to learn computers as far as I'm concerned :mrgreen:
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